Automobile boat.



W. C. MAZZEI.

AUT DMOBILE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1914. mm]. WW W 1 1". 13, 1915.

(luau mg I gnveml'oz (LO/ iagra I I Wilneooeo W. C. IVIAZZEI.

AUTOMOBILE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1914.

111mm Patented A r. 13, 1915.

W. C. MQZZEL W.. C. IVIAZZEI,

AUTOMOBILEBOAT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1914.

Patent M1113, 19115.

3 8HEETB8HBET 3.

'rn sane ar- WILLIM C. MMZEI, LOS ANGELm, CALIFORNIA.

nvrononrrr near.

Maniac.

' all whom it may con nem': Be it known that l, WILLIAM C. MAzznI,

a subject of the King of Italy, and residing at 1578 West Forty-eighthstreet,=city of Los Angeles, county of Los AngelesJ-State of California,have invented certain\new and useful Improvements in Automo ile Boats,of which the following is a spec ation.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inself propelled vehicles and more particularly to that class of selfpropelled vehicles'which are adapted to travel upon land and water, oneobject of the invention being to provide a device of this characterwhich may be driven from land to water or vice versa without anypreliminary preparations such as retracting the land traction wheelsinto the body of the vehicle or applying paddles or other means suitableto marine propulsion to the wheels or other parts of the machine.

A further object is to provide'a device of the character described whichmay be pro pelled u on land or water from the same source 0 power, bymerely throwing a lever to engage the engine drive shaft with eitherdesirable means of propulsion.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which may be steered from the same wheel whentraveling on land or-water.

Another object'of the invention is to provide a device wherein, owing toits duplex construction, the spring action of the "body upon the runninggear characteristic of automobiles'aor other land vehicles is notimpaired but rather enhanced.

Another object-is to provide a device of this character wherein thetraction wheels utilized in traveling upon the land are mounted in sucha manner as -to decrease the impedance to progress of the device whentraveling on water, caused by the con-- 7 tact of the wheels and axleswith the water,

Specification of Letters- Patent.

constructed in accordance pointed out in the appended claims.

For a full understandin of the, invention, reference is to be ha to thefollowmg description and accompanying drawlngs, m which Flgure lis aside elevation ofa device with the present invention. Fig. 2 is anenlarged longitudinalsectional view through the body of the vehicle, theengine and complemental rung and parts being broken away. Fi 3 is anenlarged longitudinal sectional? view through the gear changing box. .Fihis a transverse sectional view throng same taken on the line 44: ofvFig. 3. Fig.

5 is a detail view ofone of the front sus-,

pension springs and steering mechanism, parts being broken away andshown in section. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of one of the rearsuspension springs, parts being broken away and shown in section. Fig. 7is a transverse sectional view through the same. Fig. 8 is a sectionthrough the f Patented Apr. as, rain, Application filed February as,rent. Serial no. name.

gear being shown in side elevation,

the

guide members. Fig. 9 is an enlargeddetail sectional view of themechanism for engagin and disengagindg the sleeves mounts on thesteering r0 Corresponding and like parts are referredto. in thefollowing description and indicated in all the views of the drawings bythe same reference characters. a

" Specifically describing the invention,

numeral 1 designates the body of the vehicle constructed insubstantially the form of the hull of a boat, the numeral 2 representingthe bow and 3 the stern thereof. A door 1?" is provided at the' 'sidesof the body for en]- tering and leaving the vehicle when travelmg onland, the said door being ro id with watertight joints. At the front endof the vehicle are the usual wheels A mounted.

These wheels are-also mounted in recesses- 9 in the sides of the bodyfor the same rea- 'sons above stated.

It will be noted with reference to Fig. 5 that the wheels 4 are mountedin a manner peculiar to this invention. The axles 5 do not extend intothe body, but a 'short stud 10 formed on the inner end of the axle isscrewed into the bottom of a'tubular member 11 closed at one end ,12which is influenced by a coil spring 13 mounted therein and which has avertically sliding movement in a tubular sleeve 14 which is inturnfastened by any suitable means to the body 1 of the vehicle on theinner face of the recess 6.

Mounted within the tubular sleeve 14 and forming one bearing point ofthe spring 13 is a core 15. The top16of the core 15 is enlarged, whichenlargement provides an annular shoulder 17 against which one end of thespring 13 rests, the other end of the spring resting on the bottom ofmember 11. The enlarged end 16 further serves as a guide for the tubularmember 11, as also does the bottom end 18 thereof. The enlarged top endis engaged by a screw 19 which is suitably mounted in the body 1 of thevehicle at the top of the recess. The wheel 4 is mounted in any suitablemanner upon the axle carrying the short stud screwed or otherwisefastened to, the bottom ,of the tubular sliding member 11. It will beobvious that as the wheel 4 passes over an obstruction in the road thetubular member-11 will be forced upwardly against the action of thespring 13 the said spring thus absorbing the shock which would otherwiseresult.

- A screw 1.9"is mounted inthe body of the device and engages the top ofthe core to adjustably support the body 1 upon the spring 13 arid theaxle 5. This screw is adjustable, and the body may be raised or loweredas desired by turning the screw 19. As the axle 5 is'fixed owing to itsconnection with the wheel 4 which rests on the ground, it will beobvious that turning the screw 19 so as to force the core 15 downwardlyagainst the spring 13 will raise the body,1 upwardly and vice versa.

The mounting of the body 1 upon the rear wheels is somewhat differentthan the mounting of the body on the front wheels due to the fact thatthe rear 1 axle 8 extends entirely through the body,

the rear axle being connected to the drive shaft in the manner common toauto-.

mobiles. Rigidly fastened to the inside faces of the sides of the body 1are a pair of guides 20 for each rear wheel, connected at I theirbottoms by a cross piece 21 and at their topsby a cross piece 22. Eachguide is correspondinglymecessed as at 23 to receive a slide, member 24,slidably mounted between each pair of guides, the recesses 23 serving toprevent the slide member from-fallingout of engagement with the guides22. The slide member 24 is provided with acentral bore 25 which isadapted to receive a cylindrical member 26 rovid'ed at eachend with aball race 27. Kt eachend of the slide member 24 are provided end plates28 which serve to keep the balls 29 in the race 27 and also to preventthe cylindrical member 26 from getting out of engagement with slidemember 24. The cylindrical member 26 is provided with a transverse bore30 through w ich passes the axle 8. The slide member 24 is furtherprovided on opposite sides thereof with slots 31- registering with thetransverse bore 30 of the cylindrical member 26.

At the top of the guide members 20 and fastened to the cross piece 22 isa bearing block 32 between which-and the slide member 24 is mounted anelliptic leaf spring 33, mounted within the body of the vehicle. Theside of the body 1 is provided with a slot 34 registering with the slot31 of the slide member24. A packing box 35 surrounds the axle 8 withinthe slots 31 of the slide member and the slots 34 in the side of thebody 1, so as to prevent water from entering the body of the vehiclewhen the same is traveling upon water.

It will be obvious, that when the wheel 7 strikes an obstruction, theaxle 8 may assume any angle to overcome the obstruction or imperfectionin the road, as owing to the slots 31 and 34 and the cylindrical member26 provided with ball bearings 29, the said cylindrical member mayreadily revolve in the slide casing 24 to accommodate the movement ofthe axle in a vertical direction.

Over the front wheels, as is common to automobiles of to-day, ismounteda conventional gasolene engine, provided with the usual drive shaft 36.Mounted upon the said drive shaft 36 is a clutch 37 which is operated bymeans of the foot lever 38 so as to engage or disengage the drive shaftof the engine with the gearing in the/gear casing 39. The vehicle isprovided with a shaft 40 which drives the propeller 41 and also'with ashaft 42 which drives the rear wheels7. The power is transferred toeither shaft 40 or 42 as desired by the shifting of gears in the gearcasing 39.

Mounted within the casing 39 is a longi-' tudinal square shaft 43 whichis connected to the drive shaft 36 ofthe engine by manipulation of theclutch 37. Below and to.

the left of this shaft 43 is mounted another longitudinal shaft 45 whichis connected to shaft 42 by the universal joint 42. Below and to theright of shaft 43 is mounted still another longitudinal square shaft 44which is connected to shaft 40 by means of universal joint 40" whichdrives the. propeller when the device is traveling on water. Mountedupon the shaft 43 is a gear 43* which is the means for transferring thepower from shaft 43 to shaft 44-.to drive the propeller. On thepropeller shaft are mounted slidable gears 46 and 47. Depending in asuitable bracket 48 from shaft 43 is an idler pinion mat-eat v 49. Thisidler pinion 49 serves in connection with the reversing of either thepropeller shaft or the drive shaft for the rear wheels. To drive thepropeller shaft in a direction necessary to propel the device forwardlythe-ends of cross rods 63 vlrith the respective lever arms 11 so thatthe tubular members lllgmay' slide freely up and down in. theircasings-Hand .not be bound by the ends of the: cross rod 63. A stufingbox 63 surwhen traveling in water, the gear 47 slid: rounds the; cross.rod 63 wherethe same ableon shaft44, is forced into engagement fp'asse'stlirough' the body -1 so as to prevent with the gear 43*, rigid on shaft43, by 'ma-- n pulating'the lever 50, in a eounter', clockwise direction(as seen lng Fi'g. 2*), while in waterifrom entering the vehicle. Itwill be obviousthat' with'this'construction when the sleeveg63isrotatedv in either direction the orderto reverse the propellershaft, the gear 46 slldable on shaft 44,is forced into engageengagementwith the gear 51 on shaft 43, by

direction.

manipulating the lever 50. in the opposite;

Gears 52,53, 54,-slidable on shaft, 43 in,

. connection with gear s55, 56, 57, rigid with shaft 45, serve .todrivethe' rear-wheels" one direction while gear-51, idler-'49 'and 'gear58 serve to drivetherlear Wheels in-Ythel opposite direction; Tf-acomparatively'slow'jspeed is desired .on the drive shaft for the rearwheels the clutch 37 'is'manipulated'to connect shafts 43 and 36. Thegear 52%.]

then brought into engagement by means'of lever 59 with gear 55. Thisgives the slowe'st speed. If the next highest speed is desired, gear 52is disengaged from 55 and the gear 53 brought into-engagement with 56.at one side thereof with a projection 7 0*,

Should the highest speed be desired, the gear 53 is disengaged from gear56 and the gear 54 is brought into engagementwith gear 57.

In order to reverse the drive wheels the gear 58 is brought into.engagement with the idler 49, which is alwaysin engagement with gear 51on shaft 43. lit will be readily seen therefore that the power maybequickly and easily'transferred from the rear wheels 7 to* the screwpropeller 41 as the circumstances require and thateither-mode ofpropulsion may be reversed at the will of'the. operator.

The lever 60 serves to operate an emergency.

brake not shown.

"Whether traveling on'land or Water the device is steered from the samewheel 62",.

the ropes for operating the rudder 61, and

the gear for operating the front wheels 'be i I ing controlled fromthe'same' wheel. Mount-f ed on the steering rod 62 is a sleeve 63 whichI has an enlarged toothed, end 64. This sleeve .com miinicates with thegearing utilized in operating t he front wheels. This sleeve {63 i hasri 'dly connected thereto-and depending there om aniarm 63? which hasits lower" which" cross rod es win' be moved transversely of thebodyofthe vehicle and the lever arms ment With the idler 49, which isalways'in i-ingjanfenlarged toothed end 66, the notches of :sleevei63and sleeve 65 cooperating to.

transmitmotion from the steering wheel 62! tattle-treat axle when they.are brought into tiwith each other. "The sleeve 63 l A adapted to'bewound the rudder controlling ropes 67, the arrangement and .comectionofSaid ropes being the same as is customary-"in fitting out boats.

tended with a drum 67 around a "aThe sleeve 65 extends upwardly to andis its endis provided a cam slot 68 in which slot pins 69, carried by acollar 7 0 provided operate to engage and disengage the notched end ol;sleeve; 65 -'from the notched'end of 'sle'eve'63. lWhen the collar 70 isrotated by means ofthe projection or lever 70 in one direction the pins:69 mounted in said col lar 70 engage' the edgesof the cam slot 68 inthis o ition the steering wheel 62 may be rotate'dwithout moving thefront wheels.-

connected to the steering wheel 62*. Near" rotated'aiidtherudder rope.wound upon it according" to the' direction of rotation of the' st'eeringwhel. When the parts are It 'willfthe riefore, beobvious that the. ve-Iv I hi'cle maybereadily steered by the same" wheel'whether traveling onland or Water by merely manage-small lever in the right direction.Furthermore, the vehicle altheretrom; Long-bolts 11 serve to connect div mll i t dito one end of a link fways carries ;.-.vvith it" all theessentials 63*, the opposite end of which ispivotally dent to travelmgupojn land or water, and connected to a crossrod 63. The 'op'ositenot-only. th s, but all parts are always 1n ends of this cross rodpenetrate .the ody I position there. being no necessity for removor thevehicle and have afpinlandslota; ing parts when travel ng from water tovnection with the outer ends'ofleverarms'l land or.; add1ng'parts whentraveling from whose opposite ends are rigidly connect land to water.

to the bottom ofthe tubular members ll, the The dqvloe as a whole has aneat appearsaid lever arms. 11 extending rearwardly ance hav ng no unsghtly pro ections or the liae,'the body-oi the vehicle be ng asadaptable to land traveling as to traveling upon water.

Having thus described my invention,what I claimas new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1Q A device of the character described inother is connected to therudder and the a steering wheel, and means for engaging and disengagingsaid sleeves.

2. A device of the character described including a buoyant body, wheelsfor carrying said body on land, meansfor propelling the device on both'land and water, means for steering the device on both land and waterfrom'the same steering wheel including a rudder, rudder controllingropes, a rod mounted on the body, a steering wheel rotatably mounted onsaid rod, a pair of sleeves .rotatably mounted on said rod, one of whichis also slidable on said rod, said sleeves having coeperating enlargedtoothed ends, one of said sleeves being connected tothe wheels carryingthe body on land, while the other sleeve is connected to the ruddercontrolling ropes and the steering wheel, and means for engaging anddisengaging said sleeves.

3. A device of the characterdescribed including a buoyant body, meansfor propelsleeves rotatably mounted on the said rod ling the device onboth land and water, -wheels for carrying said body on. land, means forsteering the device on both land and water from the same steering wheelincluding a rudder, rudder controlling ropes,

a rod mounted on the body, a steering wheel rotatably mounted on saidrod, :1. pair of one of which is also slidable upon said rod, saidsleeves having cooperating enlarged toothed ends, one of said sleevesbeing connected to the wheels carrying the body on land, while one endof said other sleeve is connected to the steering wheel, the other endbeing provided with a drum around which are adapted to be wound therudder controlling ropes, and cam means for engaging and disengaging thesaid sleeves.

4. A device of the character described including a buoyant body providedwith recesses in the sides thereof, axles situated in said recesses,springs connected to said axles, means for adjustably mounting the bodyupon said springs, wheels mounted on the axles and situated in therecesses in the sides of the body, and means for propelling the deviceon both land and water.

5. A device of the character described including a buoyant bodyprovided. with recesses in the sides thereof, tubular members slidablymounted in said recesses, springs mounted in said tubular members, axlesconnected to said tubular members and situated.

in said recesses, means for adjustably mounting the body onsaid'springs, wheels mounted on the axles and situated in the-recessesin the sides of the body, and means for propelling the device on landand water.

6. A self-propelled vehicle adapted to travel on land and water,including a buoy-i ant body provided with recesses in the sides thereof,axles penetrating said body and having a spring connection therewith,said spring connection being within the body, wheels mounted upon saidaxles adapted to carry the body on land and situated in recesses in thesides of the said body, and means for propelling the device on land andwater.

7. A device of the character described, including a buoyant body, axlespenetrating the body and having a spring connection therewith, saidspring connection being within the body, wheels adapted to carry thebody on land being mounted on said axles, means whereby the axle isallowed to be angularly displaced to conform to any obstruction orimperfection in the road, means for preventing water from entering thebody around sai axle, and means for propelling the vehicle on land andwater.

v WILLIAM C. MAZZEI.

Witnesses:

Ennns'r M. TORGHIA, SAMUnn ROSENTHAL.

